I'm sorry to see that you deleted your post. My comments were intended to only provide context to PrinceCruise's earlier admonition. It is common for newcomers to this site to resurrect old threads, which is fine, but to expect that providing new information is going to be read by the thread's originator(s) may be expecting too much. Regular members will sometimes point this out (as I do on occasion...) only to reset expectations, not set policy.

Be aware that the value of this site is not only in what current discussion are taking place. Most members of this site spend time searching through old threads for information which may not have been important to them at the time, but may take on a higher importance later on. I search old threads frequently to help clarify to myself fundamental issues which I may have overlooked when the discussion was happening. Because we don't delete old threads, providing further context, as your deleted messsage did, was a welcomed addition which provided extra value.

As I stated before, resurrecting old threads is not the norm, but that doesn't mean that new information might not be beneficial to readers. I hope you reconsider your deletion.

Quite right Ocicat, I'm a newcomer and picking up on old threads. What interests me in this discussion is that many of us get quite emotional about it. I think that's because most of the people who use *NIX have a very distinct and/or founded rationale to do so. People who use Windows use it because err, that's the program you use when you use a computer, right? What else should I do? Or maybe because their employer uses Windows, like mine. People who use OSX might have a bit more reason, like working in a graphical sector or being "fashionista's". People who use Linux might do so because they like to tweak stuff. Maybe *BSD the is the hardcore scene?

Don't get me wrong, regardless of my own personal perference, I don't want to put one above the other. It's purely user dependant.

My very personal reasons for using (Open)BSD? I want to be free (in every sense of the word) in what I want to do with my computer. I want security, privacy and functionality. With Windows I don't feel I get any of them at an acceptable level. With Linux, I'm fine, with OpenBSD much more. For example, if i want to use NFS, just RTFM and you're OK. if I want to do it with Windows, just pay more to get the Enterprise edition. Err WTF???

As a matter of fact, today, I updated 2 W8 PC's to W8.1 for the ol' folks. What grabbed my attention is that it almost REQUIRES and INSISTS (yes capitals) you to sign up for a Microsoft account (and invade my privacy) only if you are very clever, persistant and jump through a few loopholes, you manage to install w8.1 without having to sign up. My personal opinion is that that is so so so fundamentally wrong. I have already paid for a licence to use your software (which is wrong in the first place), leave me alone now!! But they don't.That's what puts me off very very very much about all (yes all) the commercial products out there. I very strongly am against my privacy being the product. I have a profound grudge against companies (or governements whatever) making money on violating my privacy. And that's not or much less the case when you use GPL/BSD. Depending on which variant and how wisely you use it.

Anyway, now I'm becoming all emotional about it myself, but that's what I mean with most of us here having a very valid reason why to use UNIX *BSD. I'm not here because I don't know any better. (err do I )

But back on topic. I don't think the *BSD userbase is big, far below 1% of all desktops, and you know what? I like it! It's just used enough to get support and certainly not big enough to be of interest for writing malware for it. By the time the Linux community has to deal with viruses (if that ever happens), we're still safe for some time.

People who use Windows use it because err, that's the program you use when you use a computer, right?

Personally, I use Windows only when I want to play.
Cause Windows is still the best OS for computer games (except for old DOS games, DosBox is a good alternative).

Regularly, my wife and I play Populous on our LAN, and Windows is magic for that : a mac with Windows 7, a laptop with Windows 98, and Populous runs perfectly on both.
That's the real strength of Windows : the ability to run both recent and really old applications without any modification.

Quote:

Originally Posted by virtuvoos

People who use OSX might have a bit more reason, like working in a graphical sector or being "fashionista's".

No, it's just because OS X is better than Windows.
Since there is no native poker client for OpenBSD, I prefer to use OS X when I want to play in a poker room

Also, I bought a mac 5 years before trying OpenBSD.
So, my PostgreSQL server is installed on OS X, working fine, and it's quite good, I don't intend to transfer it on OpenBSD for the moment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by virtuvoos

most of us here having a very valid reason why to use UNIX *BSD.

So, as you can see, it's quite the opposite for me : sometimes, I have some valid reason to use something else than OpenBSD

Edit : Oh, and technically, the mac mini is a 85W machine, and the OpenBSD Sun Blade is a 475W machine, so most of the time, I use OS X with a OBSD VM...